God Raked The Leaves This Year - Finding God in the Ordinary

God took care of the leaves this year.

     You get to that age when you are really concerned about falls, and, justifiably so.  Who wants a broken hip, arm, or any other body part?  I know I don’t, and I didn’t when it happened.   I missed a step at home fell, heard pop! pop! pop!  In that single motion, I managed to fracture a bone in my foot and sprain my ankle.  Ouch!  The result of this fall was that I had to slow down.  Hospice work is not an option for a while.  Then there’s the yard work.  I love doing our yard work, but this year, Ouch!  I couldn't.  So, it was time to find someone to take care of those beautiful leaves falling from the fire maples in our front yard. 
   
     Our city schedules a time to pick up the leaves in our yards that are raked to the curb, but our Monday was here, and I was in a boot with no way to get outside and blow the leaves to the curb.  Not only that, the leaves were clinging to the tree this year.  They just didn’t want to fall!    The fire maples were splattered with bright oranges, reds, and yellows! 
   
     I called a couple of places that mowed lawns in the summer.   No one called me back.  I finally decided the leaves would just have to remain on the lawn until next year.  I offered up the frustration, and  I moved on, sort of.  Later, I was still tapping the boot my foot was encased in to heal.   There was no way I could solve this problem. 
   
    Enter God.
   
    That night, the weatherman predicted a front moving into our area that would bring us much colder weather.  We'd have a windy night and a windy day the next day.  I was hoping, but I knew there were so many leaves on those trees...
   
     God smiled. 

    When I woke up the next morning, not only were there no leaves on the trees, the leaves in my yard had disappeared!  There were no leave left to rake.  I had to return God's smile.  I hoped my neighbors wouldn't be too upset to see their yards full of leaves, but when I looked around, I didn't see extra leaves in their yards either.
   
    Where did they go?  Only God knows.  I hope that the angels were able to bag the leaves before they were sent to be sources of grace for other people. 

Thank You, Heavenly Father!  You had mercy on me!  Thank you!  Please bless all those people who found those beautiful leaves in their yards,  then raked, and bagged them!  Praise You, Father!
#Finding God in the ordinary

Prayer Journal - Change

When I was a child, I’d look forward to the start of fall.  Fall meant the start of school.  Who didn’t want to see their friends, and I loved school!  Fall meant walking home from school, crunching the leaves under my feet.  Fall meant dark mornings when we went to Mass.  Fall meant comfort foods that were too hot to cook in the blistering New Mexico summers.  Fall meant the smell of green chiles roasting in the kitchens.  Fall meant wearing clothes to school that were just too hot, but your summer clothes had been put away, so you did anyway.  Fall meant homework and reading.  Fall meant praying the family rosary after supper when it was dark outside.  Fall meant already starting to look forward to family and Thanksgiving. Fall meant looking forward to Christmas after Thanksgiving.  Fall meant coming out of the wonderful, lazy rut called summer.  Fall meant movement and silence when the birds began to migrate even farther south.  Fall meant the lizards would hibernate.  Fall meant coats and sweaters.  Fall meant the state fair.  Fall meant my birthday!

Sweet Jesus, I remember those days of childhood.  I saw the seasons through the eyes of a child.  I saw You through the eyes of a child.  I saw You as a God who loved me beyond measure.  I saw You as a God of great love for all of us. I tried to be good, not just because of Santa, I really wanted You to know how much I loved You!  


Now, I am a retired teacher, and fall means that I don’t have to go back to school.  Fall means that I need to rake leaves.  Fall means that here in the Midwest, I no longer roast green chiles, but, that’s okay, since my stomach does hurt a bit from the bite of the chiles.  Fall still means dark mornings when I go to Mass.  Fall means trying to figure out which clothes to wear, or wondering if I need boots so that if I hit a small patch of ice from an unexpected cold, freezing rain, I won’t fall.  Fall means finding clothes that are warm enough to keep my hands warm.  Fall means wondering if the kids will be able to make it home for the holidays.  Fall means winter is near.  Fall means that I don’t hear the sounds of birds singing in the mornings.  Fall means praying the Rosary in the silence of my living room.  Fall means I don’t have to go to the State Fair.  Fall means my birthday!

Sweet Jesus, now, I’m getting old.  I’ve seen many seasons in my life.  So much has changed.  You’ve given me many trials.  Loving You has been a challenge when I walked a rocky road.  Believing that You loved me has been a challenge.  My hands get cold when fall starts to come.  I miss my husband and children.  Life has not been easy. I wish I could see life as I did when I was 7.  I miss that part of me.  Where did that little girl go?

When in prayer, it is sometimes necessary to wait and listen to hear God speak to our hearts.  In silence I wait. 

My beloved Child, yes, it’s true you have changed.  It’s also true that you have faced many challenges in your life and that your heart has ached because of these crosses.  In many of these difficult times, you turned to Me and asked for My help which I rendered to you with great love.  There were other times when you felt alone in your journey, but what you didn’t know is that I walked beside you holding your hand.  Even when you turned your back on Me, I was there, ready to welcome you back into My loving arms.  Where is that child who loved Me without question?  Where is that child who ran gratefully into My arms?  That child has grown up.  That child has become a woman.   

Yet, it is still possible to love Me without question.  It is still possible to run into my arms where I can hold you in my loving embrace.  You must let go of the past.  You must forgive those who have hurt you.  You must trust that in spite of the trials of life, I know what is best for you.  I AM your God.  I love you.  Seek My Love.  Ask for the grace of Love.  Of all the virtues, love is the greatest.  Through love, you will find Me. 

Seek Me now through prayer.  Open your heart to healing.  I wish to heal you, but you must step aside and let me be God. 

My beloved child, I AM with you.  I will not turn my back on you.  I will hold you up when the trials of life beat you down.  Trust that I love you.  Turn your heart to Me.  I AM waiting.